Layne Tadese

Born in Eritrea, Africa north of Ethiopia near the Red Sea to Negesty Kiros and Tadesse Iassa, Layne "L.T." Tadesse is no stranger to war and a desire for freedom. On his debuted album a song titled "Negeshe", is a tribute to his mother who past away. In the African language the meaning of her name is Queen, "Queen of all Queens". With war beginning in the early 60's between Eritrea and Ethiopia shortly after L.T. was born, his mother and father fled to Athens, Greece, then to New York, and settled in Philadelphia for four years before moving to Southern California. L.T. is a positive example turning adversity into opportunity and credits his family for his early musical interest. He grew up around many musicians and most of them family members. Throughout high school and college he performed in plays, competed in competitions, and has come across many genres of music. The first group he was apart of was called Black Fugitives. They were a mixture of Hip-Hop and R&B. However, because he was introduced to Reggae by his family at an early age, L.T. soon recognized his true calling in music. By taking a piece of his experience with other genres, L.T. along with his band called Fireburn, has captured a unique sound that only a few have touched. Traditionally it has been a type of music suited for adults only. Many of his loyal fans believe L.T. has reinvented Reggae by helping this genre of music cross the barriers that separates our youth and adults. Versatile, multitalented, flexible, diverse, are just a few words to describe this artist. If you have never seen one of his performances then you have missed something great. As a live performer, L.T. presence is electric with his trademark a cappella intros and to the last note of the show he keeps the eyes of the audience glued to the stage. Now with a loyal fan base, Layne "L.T." Tadesse plans to spread positive vibes and soul stirring music to the rest of the world.